Lubricator.



PATENTED JUNE '27, 1905.

F. BAIN.

LUBRICATOR APPLICATION FILED-OUT. 10|1904.

Y mmnmm Ill Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

FOREE BAIN, OF LAGRANGE, ILLINOIS.

LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,499, dated June 27, 1905.

Application filed October 10, 1904- Serial No. 227,934.

1'0 all whom, it ntay'conccrnf Be it known that I, FoREE BATN, of Lagrange, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricators; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in lubricators, and more particularly to positivefeed lubricators.

Among the salient objects of my invention are to provide a lubricator positive in its action, invariable in its feed under given adjustment, yet readily adjustable as to feed, and, further, to provide such a machine which will be simple in construction, cheap and easy of manufacture, and reliable in operation.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the application of my invention to a multiple lubricator, Figure 1is a front view with parts in section. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 with parts broken away.

Throughout the drawings, 5 indicates the casing inclosing a chamber 6, constituting an oil-reservoir, said casing being of any suitable shape, preferably provided with a suitablythickened wall 5 at its front.

7 indicates an oil-receiving chamber, of which any number may be provided, according to the size of the machine. Preferably the chamber 7 is arranged vertically and formed in the thickened wall 5 and at one.

end communicates with the interior of the reservoir, such communication being in the present case provided for by a channel 8, preferably deeper than to the remote edge of the chambers, running longitudinally of the casing-wall 5 and connecting all. of the chambers 7. It will be-apparent' that oil from the res-' ervoir filling the channel 8 completely surrounds ihe open upper end of the chamber 7. The opposite end of the chamber 7 communicates with the bearing A or other parts to be lubricated, as by a pipe 9, a suitable checkvalve being provided on the outflow sidcof the chamber 7 to prevent the return into the said chamber of oil expelled therefrom.

In the specific illustrative construction, 10 indicates a ball arranged in a counterbore 7 below the chamber 7 and normally maintained in contact with the bottom of said counterbore to close the chamber 7 by a spring 11, abutting at its opposite end against a shoulder 12 of a suitable bushing 12, threaded into the counterbore 7'. Obviously the valve-ball may be unseated only by the application of pressure on its side toward chamber 7 and will reseat as soon as the pressure is relieved.

The means provided for expelling oil from the chamber 7 comprises, preferably, a plunger 13, preferably in the form of a straight rod, arranged. to aline with the chamber 7 and adapted to work into or out of the chamber 7 through the channel 8 to expel oil from said chamber and to control its communication with the oil-reservoir or other source of oilsupply. Preferably the rod or plunger 13 is guided in a suitable cylinder or bore 14. in the casing-wall 5, alining with the chamber 7 and extending through said guide 14 to the exterior of the casing, so that its workings may be plainly viewed, the long bearing of the plunger in its bore 1 L obviating the probability of leakage around the said plunger.

15 indicates a washer on the upper end of v the plunger 13, retained thereon, as by a cotter-pin 15. It will be understood, of course, that a plunger is provided for each of the chambers 7 comprised in the multiple lubricator; but as the constructions of the plungers and their associated devices are exactly identical for all of the chambers a description of one will suflice for all.

Means are provided for actuating all of the plungers 13, such means comprising, prefer ably, a single rocking frame 16, consisting of a plate 17, beneath which are arranged a plurality of fingers 18, separated by recesses 19 for a purpose to be described, said plate and fingers being carried by arms 20, mounted upon pivots 21 at opposite ends of the casing 5. The parts are so arranged that the plate 17 overlies the ends of the plungers 13, and the recesses 19 exactly aline therewith, the

fingers 18 underlying and engaging the washers 15, carried by the corresponding plungers.

22 indicates a lever-arm extending down the side of the casing and preferably bifurcated at its lower end to provide two fingers23 23, separated a suitable distance. Suitable means are provided for oscillating the arm 22, in the present construction such means comprising a cam 24, arranged between the fingers 23 and carried on the inner side of a worm-wheel 25, mounted on a stud 26 and meshing with a worm-gear 27, finding bearings in a suitable housing 28, detachabl y secured to side of the casing 5. The housing 28 is provided with a suitable aperture 29 to receive the lever-arm 22 and permit its oscillation therein, and its lower inner edge is preferably provided with an upturned lip, which, with the bottom and opposite side of the housing, forms a receptacle for a lubricant for the worm-gearing. The shaft 27 of worm 27 is extended through the housing for connection with a suitable source of power.

Adjustable operative connection is afforded between the rocking frame 17 and the respective plungers 13 by adjustable screws 31, threaded through a plate 17 and retained in adjusted position, as by set-nuts 32.

To aflord means for filling the reservoir 6 and at all times ascertaining the level of the lubricant therein, I provide an aperture 33, from which depends the usual strainer 34 and in which is adapted to fit a plug 35, having a small bore 36 extending to the exteriorof the plug, preferably at the side thereof at a position convenient to be covered by the fingers of the user. To the lower end of the plug 35 is secured a hollow glass tube 37 in open communication with the bore 36.

When used with an automobile, the lubricator is adapted to be secured to the dash of the vehicle, and the aperture 38 affords a means for filling the lubricator from the opposite side of the dash over the machinery, and thus avoid the possibility of soiling the interior of the vehicle.

The operation of my device is as follows: The reservoir 6 is filled with oil through the apertures 38 or, if desired, through the aperture 33, and the height of the oil therein may at any time be determined by raising the plug 35 and the glass tube 37, in which the oil is contained, to its general level in the casing. The finger of the user must be placed over the aperture of the bore 36 before the plug with its glass tube is lifted, when the oil will remain in the tube after it is lifted out of the reservoir. The height of the oil in the glass tube 36 will indicate with a practical degree of accuracy the height of the oil in the casing. The shaft of the worm-wheel in use is turned so that the cam 24 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, so that the arms 20 are lifted with a comparatively quick motion to their uppermost limit, reached when the forward corner of the cam-surface arrives at an angle less than ninety degrees to the position indicated in Fig. 3. During this lifting operation it will be understood that each of the plungers 13 is lifted by the en gagement of the fingers 18 of the rocking frame with the under side of its washer 15, said plungers preferably all alining with the upper side of the longitudinal slot 8 at the end of the upstroke. Now a dwell in the motion of the rocking frame 16 occurs until the forward corner of the cam 24 encounters the arm 23 to the left of Fig. 3. During this interval the chambers 7 are in open communication with the reservoir 6 and receive asupply of oil therefrom, which flows in from all sides through channel 8 until it entirely fills the chambers 7, the oil being prevented from flowing out of said chambers by the check-valves 10. Now the cam 24, acting upon the left-hand finger 23, throws the rocking frame 16 downward, the plungers 13 remaining unmoved in their uppermost position until met by their respective adjusting-screws 31, which with connecting mechanism positively force them downward until the end of the downstroke of the rocking frame is reached. During this movement of the plungers 13 their forward ends traverse the channel 8 and enter the adjacent ends of the chambers 7, with which said plungers make close fit. Accordingly the communication of the chambers 7 with the oil-reservoir is cut off and the pressure of the plunger upon the oil in said chamber unseats the valve 10 and positively forces oil from the chambers 7 into the respective pipes 9 until the rocking frame reaches the end of its downward stroke and the expelling movement of the plunger ceases. It will be apparent that the downstroke is made more slowly, but with greater power than the upstroke, the leverage of the cam on the rocking frame being longer than on the upstroke. Now a dwell again occurs in the movement of the rocking frame 16, giving the valve 10 ample time to close firmly before the relatively quick upstroke begins. It is to be noted, too, that the upstroke tends to create a vacuum in chamber 7, so that when the position shown in Fig. 3 is reached and communication is established between the oil-chamber 7 and the reservoir oil flows quickly into the chamber, owing to the existence of a pressure less than atmospheric pressure therein. Further, the arrangement of the parts makes the filling of the chamber 7 independent of the head of the oil, as difference in pressure is not depended on to fill the chamber, but is only an incidental efi'ect cumulative with gravity. It will be apparent now that by adjustment of the screws 31 the operative stroke of each plunger may be varied, each independently of the other, so that the amount of oil expelled on each stroke may be regulated to a nicety; but at the same time the plungers are all moved back to definite position on the upstroke of the rocking frame irrespective of the length of their downward excursions. In this way I insure that the plungers are raised free of the slot 8, which is thereby entirely cleared, so that perfectly free communication may be established between the reservoir and all sides of the several chambers 7, the dwell occurring at the end of each stroke givingample time for the chambers to fill irrespective of any ordinary degree of viscosity of the oil.

While I have herein described in some detail one operative embodiment of my invention, the details whereof I believe to be new and advantageous, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes might be made in the mechanical embodiment of my invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and I do not desire'to be understood as limiting myself to the specific features of construction shown and described further than as set forth-in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a lubricator, thecombination of an oilreservoir, a plurality of oil-chambers, a plunger for each chamber arranged to positively control communication between said chamber and the reservoir, and adapted to expel oil' from said chamber, common means for reciprocating said plungers, and independent means for each plunger for varylng its throw on the ,forcing stroke and permitting its return to and its efiect upon communication between the reservoir and chamber maintained constant.

2. Ina lubricator, the combination of an oilreservoir, a plurality of oil-chambers each open to the reservoir at one end, a plunger for each chamber arranged to work past the opening to control the communication of the chamber with the reservoir and expel oil from said chamber, a movable'member common to said plungers havinga lost-motion connection with each plunger, and independent means for each plunger for varying the amount of lost motion from the end only-through which connection is effected with said plunger to move it on its oil-expelling stroke. 7

3. In a lubricator, the combination of an oilreservoir,a plurality of oil-chambers each open to the reservoir at one end, a plunger for each for each chamber, a rocking member mounted in the support and adapted to reciprocate the plungers, and means carried by said movablemember for independently adjusting the throw of each plunger.

5. In a lubricator, the combination of a plu rality of oil-chambers, plungers therefor, a moving member arranged to coact with all of said plungers, said member having separate parts for lifting and depressing the plungers, and a separate adjusting means for each plunger carried by the depressing part of said member.

'6. In a lubricator, the combination of an oilchamber, a plunger therefor, a moving member arranged to coact with said plunger and having separate parts for lifting and depressing said plunger, and' an adjusting means for the plunger carried by the depressing part of said member.

7. In a lubricator, a reservoir-casing having a thickened front wall, a plurality of chambers formed in said thickenedwall, a trans verse recess connecting said chambers and extending deeper into the wall than the said chambers, a plunger arranged for reciprocation into and out of each of said chambers through the said recess, said plungers being arranged to slide in said thickened wall and extending to the exterior of the casing, a check-valve at the bottom of each chamber, and means for actuating the plungers.

8. In a lubricator, an'oil-reservoir, a cham ber arranged for open communication with said reservoir, a plunger for expelling the oil from said chamber and cutting ofi its comm u- 7 nication with the reservoir, a check-valve at the delivery end of the chamber and means for actuating said plunger arranged to afford a dwell inits movement when said plunger is in position to permit communication between the reservoir and the chamberand another dwell when the plunger reaches the end of'its expelling stroke.

. 9. Ina lubricator, an oil-containing casing,

oil-chambers, plungers therefor, and means for for reciprocating said plunger comprising a lever having a part adapted to engage said plunger to depress the same, aportion adapted to engage the under side of the projection on said plunger to elevate the same, and an ad justing-screw carried by one of said portions of the lever.

11. In a lubricator, an oil-reservoir consisting ofa casing having a plurality of cylindrical chambers provided in an integral wall thereof justahle means for each plunger for varying I its discharging stroke.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FOREE BAIN. In presence of-- C. INEZ WILcox, MARY F. ALLEN. 

